,
"_fraught with peril_!"

"I think it is too much of an undertaking," said Roy, ignoring him. "We
can get round-trip tickets."

Pee-wee almost fell off his chair.

"But, of course," continued Roy, soberly, "a scout is not supposed to
think of himself--especially a Silver Fox. I am a Silver
Fox--sterling--warranted. A scout is a brother to every other scout. He
ought to be ready to make sacrifices." (Mr. Ellsworth began to chuckle.)

"He ought not to stand by and see a fellow scout in danger. He ought not
to stand and see a poor Elk go headlong----" (Hisses) "He ought to be
ready with a good turn regardless of his own comfort and safety." (Hoots
and laughter) "I am ready with a good turn. I am ready to sac----"
(Jeers) "I am ready to sac----" (Jeers) "I am----" (Cries of "Noble
lad!") "I am ready to sac----"

"Well, go ahead and _sac_, why don't you?" shouted Pee-wee in disgust.
"You're a hyp----"

"Hip--hooray!" concluded several scouts.

"You're a hyp--hyp--hypocrite!" Pee-wee managed to ejaculate amid the
tumult.

"I am ready to sac----"

"Oh, go on, sac and be done with it!"

"I am ready to sacrifice myself for Tom Slade," finished Roy,
magnanimously. "Tom," he added, extending his hand across the table with
a noble air of martyrdom, "Tom, I will go with you!"

The meeting broke up gaily, Mr. Ellsworth saying that he would certainly
communicate Roy's generous and self-sacrificing offer to National
Headquarters as a conspicuous instance of a memorable and epoch-making
good turn.

"He gets my goat!" said Pee-wee to the scoutmaster.

"I am very glad," said Mr. Ellsworth, soberly, "that our summer begins
with a good turn. The Silver Foxes should be proud of their unselfish
leader." Then he turned to Doc. Carson and winked the other eye.

He was a great jollier--Mr. Ellsworth.

CHAPTER II

[Transcriber's Note: An Indian scout sign drawing was inserted here.]

The old Indian scout sign, which is the title of this chapter, means
_There is nothing new along this trail and it brings you back to the
same place._ If you are already acquainted with Tom Slade and his
friends you will be safe in skipping this chapter but, otherwise, you
would better read it for it will tell you a little of Tom's past history
and of the other scouts with whom you are to become acquainted in this
volume.

To know just how all this election business came about we must go back a
year or so to a time when Tom Slade was